This letter is to express our deep appreciation for your initiative and for your courage to visit the Dalai Lama on Friday in Dharamsala, India.

We applaud your call to the world community to denounce China in the wake of its crackdown in Tibet and to recognize this crisis as a "challenge to the conscience of the world." 

We join our Tibetan sisters and brothers as they grieve the loss of life caused by the brutal violence against Tibetans by Beijing.  We stand by Tibet's side as itseeks ways to shed the light of truth on what is happening inside of its country and to its people.

As the death toll in Tibet and the violence in Tibet and its neighboring provinces continue to rise, we support your call for our President and for our leaders to boycott the Opening Ceremonies for the Beijing Olympics.

Last year, we joined with our fellow Americans to celebrate your efforts and President Bush's selection of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. At that ceremony, President Bush reminded us, "Americans cannot look to the plight of the religiously oppressed and close our eyes or turn away." 

Indeed, our leaders and Beijing's leaders could certainly benefit by contemplating the Dalai Lama's message of peace and reconciliation

Madame Speaker, your have been one of the most outspoken Democratic supporter of Tibet's fight for freedom, and we are proud of that leadership.

We urge you to continue to press upon this serious international human rights matter, and for you will continue to send a clear message of hope to Tibetans so that they know that Americans care and will not stand by and watch them perish.